1. Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire with territory in the Balkans, the Middle East, and the eastern Mediterranean, maintained very high levels of political, economic, and cultural life between 500 and 1450 C.E.
The Byzantine Empire, once part of the greater Roman Empire continued flourishing from an eastern Mediterranean base after Roman decline
The empire continued many Roman patterns and spread its Orthodox Christian civilization through most of eastern Europe.

2. Emperor Constantine in the 4th c
Emperor Constantine in the 4th c. established a capital at Constantinople
Greek became the official tongue after the 6th c.
The empire benefited from the high level of civilization in the former Hellenistic world and from the region’s prosperous commerce
It held off barbarian invaders and developed a trained civilian bureaucracy
Constantinople –Capital of the Byzantine Empire; constructed on the site of Byzantium, an old Greek city

3. Remember…… Germanic invaders pounded the Roman empire in the west
Huns – Group of nomadic tribes that pushed through central Europe in the 4th and 5th c. instigating the migration of the Germanic tribes into the Roman Empire
Most emperors that were conquered moved their empire back in the east
Remember……

4. Important New Center Constantinople “New Rome”
Located on a strait that linked Mediterranean and Black Seas
Key trading route linking Europe, Africa and Asia
Buffer between Western Europe and Asia
Hellenistic culture – After Alexander’s death, Greek art, education, and culture merged with those in the Middle East
Trade and important scientific centers were established, such as Alexandria, Egypt

5. Byzantine Empire-(Eastern Roman Empire)

6. The Age of Justinian 527-565 Byzantine empire reached greatest size
Wanted to recover what had been lost during the fall of Rome
Re-conquered N. Africa, Italy and southern Spain
Victories were temporary
Justinian rebuilt Constantinople in classical style; among the architectural achievements was the huge church of Hagia Sophia

7. Justinian – 6th c. Byzantine emperor; failed to reconquer the western portions of the empire; rebuilt Constantinople; codified Roman law
Hagia Sophia – Great domed church renovated during the reign of Justinian
Corpus Juris Civilis (Body of Civil Law)– Justinian’s codification of Roman law, known as the Justinian Code, reconciled Roman edicts and decisions and made Roman law a coherent basis for political and economic life
Icons – Images of religious figures venerated by Byzantine Christians

8. Justinian codification of Roman law was his greatest achievement
The revived empire withstood the 7th c. advance of Arab Muslims although important regions were lost along the eastern Mediterranean and the northern Middle Eastern heartland
Hagia Sophia
An emperor, ordained by God and surrounded by elaborate court ritual, headed both church and state

9. During Middle Ages
Dispute over use of icons (Holy Images) contributed to split
Byzantine Emperor outlawed prayer to icons
Two branches of Christianity grew further apart
1054 provoked a permanent split between Byzantine, Eastern (Greek) Orthodox and Roman Catholic Church
Iconoclasm – The breaking of images; religious controversy of the 8th c. Byzantine emperor attempted but failed to suppress icon veneration

10. Divisions Within the Church
West = Rome
Pope in Rome
Clergy were to be celibate
Latin Language
Most important holy day Christmas
East = Constantinople
Patriarch in Constantinople (rejected Pope’s authority)
Clergy could marry
Greek Language
Most important holy day Easter

11. Compare churches…..
The final break between the two churches occurred in 1054 over arguments about the type of bread used in the mass and the celibacy of priests

12. Byzantine Heritage Built on the Hellenistic culture Christian beliefs
Greek science, art and literature
Roman engineering

13. The World of Learning Preserved classic works of ancient Greece
Mostly concerned with writing about their own times
Many went and taught at universities in Italy,
Contributed to the birth of the next cultural time in European history, Renaissance

14. The long decline began in 11th c.
Muslim Turkish invaders seized almost all of the empires Asian provinces, removing the most important sources of taxes and food
Crusaders, led by Venetian merchants, sacked Constantinople in 1204
A smaller empire struggled to survive for another two centuries
In 1453, the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople

15. What happened to the Byzantine?
Crusades
Byzantine emperor called for help to fight the Muslims headed for Jerusalem
Western Christians drained $$$
Muslims took control of northern territories
Muslims eventually took Constantinople and renamed it Istanbul

16. Rise of Russia Geography-lies on Eurasian plain and borders China
Ural Mts. Physical boundary
Wanted Moscow to be the “Third Rome”
3 regions helped shape early Russian life
North-Lumber and hunting
South-Fertile land for farming
Steppe-treeless grassland Open to nomads from Asia and Europe
Rise of Russia
Kiev – Commercial city in Ukraine established by Scandinavians in 9thc, became the center for a kingdom that flourished until the 12th c.

17. Steppe Areas Great “Highway” Nomadic migrations
Rivers linked Byzantine to Russia
Vladimir I – ruler of Kiev ( ) converted kingdom to orthodox Christianity
Russian Orthodoxy – Russian form of Christianity brought from the Byzantine Empire

18. First Civilization Kiev in Present day Ukraine
Home of vital trading networks
Would become the center of the first Russian state
Boyars – Russian landholding aristocrats; possessed less political power than their western European counterparts

19. Kiev and the Byzantine Empire
Trade helped Kiev enter the Byzantine empire
957 Princess Olga of Kiev converted to Byzantine Christianity
Grandson spread religion which gained strength
Russians started to adapt religious art, music and architecture
Onion domes

20. Onion Domes
is a type of architectural dome that frequently adorns Russian Orthodox Churches.
                              

21. Symbolism
The domes are often brightly painted; the colors symbolize different aspects of religion.
Green, blue, and gold domes represent the Holy Trinity
Onion domes often appear in groups of three or five, representing the Holy Trinity or Jesus and the Four Evangelists, respectively. Domes standing alone represent Jesus.

23. Mongol Influences Nomadic people from central Asia
United by Genghis Khan
Looted and burned Kiev
Russian princes had to pay money to rule without Mongol interference
Mongol rule cut off Russian contacts with Western Europe which were making advances in art and science
Russian Orthodox grows stronger due to religious toleration
Tatars – Mongols who conquered Russian cities during the 13th c.; left Russian church and aristocracy intact

24. Moscow Takes Lead
With their location near trading rivers, Moscow steadily increased their power
Head of Russian Orthodox church made Moscow capital, became political and spiritual center

25. Ivan the Great ---- Ivan III
Recovered Russian territories that were lost to invaders
Tried to limit the power of boyars (landowning nobles)
Took on the title of Czar (Russian for Caesar)

26. Ivan the Terrible --- Ivan IV
Grandson
Nobles granted land for military service
Tied serfs to land
Violent, killed own son
Black horses and black robes-slaughtered rebels
Introduced Russia to extreme absolute power Eastern Europe

27. Recap Western Europe Latin in churches
Byzantine
Greek language
Claimed right to appoint the head of the church
Did not accept pope
$$ Good – Silk, Paper
Taxes provided money to run govt. and army
Western Europe
Latin in churches
Pope had power and the people accepted
Trade, town life and learning declined after the fall of Rome

28. Shaping Eastern Europe
Geography makes area cultural crossroads
Crusades will bring in a lot of Muslims to area